Attachment for hair dryers



Oct. 25, 1955 G. A. WALKER ATTACHMENT FOR HAIR DRYERS Filed July 29, 1952 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent() ATTACHMENT FOR HAIR DRYERS Gertrude A. Walker, Elsinore, Calif.

Application July 29, 1952, Serial No. 301,441

2 Claims. (Cl. 34-90) My invention relates to an attachment for hair dryers which is adapted to assist in drying hair brushes, combs, curlers, pins, clips, manicuring implements and other devices which are used in conducting beauty shops.

Among well known types of hair dryers which are used in beauty shops is one resembling an insulated hood or cap, which is applied and supported over the head and hair thereon of a patron after the hair has been washed and the scalp has been treated. The hair dryer hood which is usually employed has an insulated wall and is provided with an electrically driven blow fan by which a current of warm air is driven upwardly through and in contact with the hair so as to quickly dry the latter.

It is the primary object of my improvement to utilize the usual hair dryer for drying hair brushes, combs, and other devices which are used for combing hair, treating the scalp and for other purposes when the hair dryer is not being used for drying hair.

To this end my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Fig. l is a front view of a well known and usual type of hair dryer showing my improved holder fitted and applied thereto for drying hair brushes, combs, pins, clasps, manicuring implements and other accessories which are used in beauty shops; Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of my improved holder when removed from the hair dryer; Fig. 3 is a top plan of my improved holder which is shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan of a removable tray which is used in the holder, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail showing an alternative construction of the means by which the holder is detachably secured and held in the hair dryer.

In the drawing, A represents a hair dryer of well known type which resembles a hood, the open lower mouth of which is adapted to be placed over the top of the head of a patron to dry the hair in the well known usual manner. This hood may be of any well known type. As shown it usually has a thick insulated Wall 10, which contains any well known electrical heating element indicated at 11, electrical supply conductor 12, and blow fan 13, which latter, when operated is adapted to create an upward draft of heated air through the hood and outwardly therefrom through the grills 14 and 15. The strength and temperature of said current of air may be controlled in the usual manner under the direction of an operator.

My improvement provides a holder B of hollow cylindrical shape, the outer diameter thereof being slightly less than the inner diameter of the hood so that the holder may slip freely upwardly through the lower portion of the hood as shown in Fig. 1.

The holder B has a cylindrical side wall 17 (Fig. 2), flat bottom 18, removable upper end cover 19, and an inner freely removable horizontal tray or partition 20. All of these parts of the holder are preferably constructed out of medium mesh wire netting composed "ice of either metal or any well known plastic material. This netting may have its edges reinforced in any well known manner to strengthen and stiffen the structure. The tray 20 is supported at any suitable elevation in the holder upon the annular band 21 which is brazed or otherwise fastened to the inner surface of the side wall of the holder. The tray thereby subdivides the holder into upper and lower compartments so that it is adapted to support articles in separate groups. While only a single tray is shown in the holder it is contemplated that as many trays may be employed in the device at suitable spaced intervals apart so that articles to be dried may be kept separate. For instance after sterilizing, the brushes may be held in the lower compartment and the combs in the upper compartment, or pins and clasps may be supported by the tray 20 while any other devices are held in the lower compartment as the user may choose.

By constructing the holder out of plastic material including well known plastic netting, the holder may be flexible without damage as well as being resistant against harboring disease germs, which is an advantage.

My improved holder is provided with spring clasps 25 on opposite side portions thereof at selected vertical position thereon so as to engage over the wall of the hood and retain the holder by friction with its upper end inserted at any desired elevation in the hood. Each of these clasps consists of a flexible flat strip of material which is looped in reverse between its ends to provide a substantial supporting arm 27 which is fastened by brazing, cementing, riveting or other suitable means to the side wall of the holder while its adjacent outer end portion 28 is reversed and forms a U shape spring which is of suitable shape to removably engage by clasping securely over the lower edge of the wall of the hood as shown in Fig. 1. These clasps are arranged diametrally opposite each other on the holder between the opposite ends of the latter so as to removably engage the lower edge of the hood and retain the holder while partly inserted therein as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end portion of each of the spring clasps 25 is doubled to assist in forming substantial handles 28 by which the clasps can be sprung outwardly by hand so as to release the holder from engagement with the hood and permit the holder to be readily removed therefrom.

In use moisture from wet and damp articles held in the holder is quickly evaporated and the articles held in the holder are dried by the upward draft of air which is propelled through the hood by the blow fan. Also the clasps 25 provide convenient handles by which the holder can be applied to and detached from the hood. The entire device provides an article which is of material assistance in the operation of beauty shops and to the advantage of patrons thereof.

In Fig. 5 an alternative construction of fastening means is disclosed for removably securing the holder B in the hood A. In this illustration two opposite eye brackets 30-30 are fastened to the inner surface of opposite portions of the side walls 10 of the hood. Downwardly directed corresponding hooks 31-31 secured to horizontal opposite side portions of the holder B are adapted to engage the eye brackets after the holder has been applied in the hood by first inserting the holder with its hooks clear and above the eye brackets and then lowering the holder with its supporting hooks engaged through said brackets as shown in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the construction of my improvement and its operation but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried into practice by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A hair dryer having a hood with a downwardly directed open mouth and a passaged upper end through which a draft of air medium is adapted to be conducted upwardly, a basket composed of reticular material and of suitable shape to conform inwardly and freely within the inner surface of the hood and to be inserted upwardly through the mouth of said hood for holding beauty shop implements to be dried in the bath of air drying medium passing upwardly through the hood, and releasable spring fastening means extended upwardly on the wall from outer opposite side portions of said basket and adapted to engage the open lower edge portion of the hood and removably hold the basket with its lower end extended downwardly.

2. In a structure defined in claim 1, the lower portion of the basket being perforated to conduct the draft of air drying medium upwardly through the basket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,081,034 Carter May 18, 1937 2,244,953 Klingensmith June 10, 1941 2,306,053 Gosney et a1. Dec. 22, 1942 2,456,788 Kritzer Dec. 21, 1948 

